Newsletter scientifique #4 - Mars 2012

The 6th World Water Forum organized by the French Government, the city of Marseille, and the World Water Council of Water concluded on march 17 after a great week of conferences, debates, and discussions. This year’s forum focused on "Time for Solutions," determined to reach several objectives about the biggest international problems regarding water. Present at the forum were more than 20,000 people from over 170 countries, representing governments, parliaments, local authorities, international organizations, companies, public research centers and private and civil society participated in numerous working sessions thematic and regional.

Highlights

European Union and United States Agree to Historic New Partnership on Organic Trade - Feb 16th

The European Union and the United States announced that beginning June 1, 2012, organic products certified in Europe or in the United States may be sold as organic in either region. This partnership between the two largest organic-producers in the world will establish a strong foundation from which to promote organic agriculture, benefiting the growing organic industry and supporting jobs and businesses on a global scale. To see more information : http://www.foodingredientsfirst.com...

PhD contracts

Irstea -French National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture- offers employment contracts to achieve a PhD in 3 years. The institution is looking for candidates with a Master 2 and wishing to start a thesis on the subjects offered in 2012. Please find a link for more information : http://www.irstea.fr/en/join-us/our-theses/thesis-contracts-2012-session

The 2012 Chairs of Excellence Program of the Nanosciences Foundation

The nanosciences Foundation is fostering fundamental research in Grenoble (France) focused on nanosciences. The Foundation is supporting a network of 33 laboratories gathering about 1000 scientists across the various research institutions based in Grenoble. The Foundation’s main goals are to boost a world-class nanosciences research within the network of laboratories by funding collaborative and multidisciplinary projects. The deadline to apply is September 17, 2012. To see more information : http://www.fondation-nanosciences.fr...

INRA is recruiting PhD students - Feb 17th

Nearly 70 PhD subjects are proposed in INRA’s research units : 55 PhD contracts cofinanced with French regions, Europe or research organisations, 8 Young Scientist Contracts, as well as 3 doctoral offers cofinanced by INRA or hosted by INRA as part of a Cifre contract. To see more information : http://www.international.inra.fr...

Science & Technology in the US

National News

US state food safety ‘tweets’ will help prevent potentially lethal outbreaks - FSIS - March 6th

State-specific food safety ‘tweets’ will help US consumers identify affected products and prevent potentially lethal foodborne outbreaks, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has claimed. To see more information : http://www.foodproductiondaily.com...

USDA Announces Investments in Nutrition Education for Native American Families - March 7th

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today joined tribal leaders from across the nation at the National Congress of American Indians to announce investments in positive nutrition education and physical activity habits that can lead to healthier lifestyles. To see more information : http://www.usda.gov...

Snacks provide one-third of ‘empty calories’ in US diets : USDA research - March 13th

Snacks provide about one-third of all ‘empty’ calories for both men and women in the United States, according to new research from the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS). To see more information : http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com...

The U.S. ethanol industry is creating jobs, increasing national security, expanding the global marketplace and putting money back into consumers’ pockets. These and other accomplishments of the industry are highlighted in the 2012 Ethanol Industry Outlook and 2012 Pocket Guide to Ethanol. To see more information : http://www.ethanolrfa.org...

As President Obama highlights the role of algal biofuels in the long-term energy strategy, critics and supporters duke it out over the nearer-term prospects, as R&D spending increases. To see more information : http://www.biofuelsdigest.com...

A fragrant new biofuel - March 14th

A class of chemical compounds best known today for fragrance and flavor may one day provide the clean, green and renewable fuel with which truck and auto drivers fill their tanks. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) have engineered Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria to generate significant quantities of methyl ketone compounds from glucose. To see more information : http://esciencenews.com...

Midwest news

Barnes receives Harry M. Vars Research Award - Feb 16th

Jennifer Barnes, a doctoral student in the University of Illinois Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, has received the 2012 Harry M. Vars Research Award from the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) for her work in producing therapies for use in pediatric intestinal failure. To see more information : http://www.aces.uiuc.edu...

Chlorine dioxide (CIO2) gas has the capacity to completely inactivate Listeria monocytogenes (LM) on ready-to-eat (RTE) meat processing equipment, according to new research. To see more information : http://www.foodqualitynews.com...

Two clinical trials have demonstrated that SDA-enhanced soybean oil can significantly improve an emerging marker of cardiovascular health, the omega-3 index (RBC EPA+DHA). To see more information : http://jn.nutrition.org...

Plant Toughness : Key to Cracking Biofuels ? - Feb 21st

Cellulose is synthesized in a semi-crystalline state that is essential for its function in the cell wall function, but the mechanisms controlling its crystallinity are poorly understood. New research reveals key information about this process, as well as a means to reduce cellulose crystallinity, which is a key stumbling block in biofuels development. To see more information : http://www.sciencedaily.com...

Illinois Researchers Identify Promising New Biofuel - Feb 23rd

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have identified a temperate-tropical maize hybrid that can potentially revolutionize biofuels in this country. The maize hybrid has the potential to increase ethanol production for each unit of plant material, and minimize the environmental cost of biofuel production. To see more informaton : http://www.enn.com...

Minnesota makes grants to 9 biofuels projects - March 6th

In Minnesota, the state’s Dept. of Commerce has granted $2.4 million to nine projects to stimulate biofuels. To see more information : http://www.biofuelsdigest.com...

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has signed HB 276 into law. The legislation amends state law to include algaculture, meaning the farming of algae, in the law governing agriculture, including those addressing county and township zoning, and current agriculture use valuation. To see more information : http://biodieselmagazine.com...

Other states’ news

Two US-based companies aiming to use technology to improve the speed of food pathogen detection have received a funding boost from a food protection organisation. To see more information : http://www.foodqualitynews.com...

Increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation, the most common irregular heart beat (chronic arrhythmia) in adults, by about 30%, says a new study. To see more information : http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com...

A new study from Harvard School of Public Health researchers has found that red meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of total, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. To see more information : http://www.hsph.harvard.edu...

Science & Technology in France

At the National level

General Council of Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas releases a report on water and food security based on 40 examples of land in France, Ecuador, Cambodia, Morocco, ... To see more information : http://agriculture.gouv.fr... (French article)

Institutions / Universities

National Agency for food safety, nutrition, environment and labor (Anses) presents its work program for 2012 - Feb 7th

Anses review its work in 2011 and focuses on these three themes on which it will be particularly active in 2012. To see more information : http://www.anses.fr... (French article)

Companies and Research Cluster

The concerns of agriculture faced with climate change mean it is urgent to develop plants that can tolerate harsher environmental constraints such as water deficit, higher temperatures or drier air. To achieve this, INRA scientists in Montpellier are now able to benefit from an experimental platform that is unique in France. To see more information : http://www.international.inra.fr...

How Research can improve Food Security - Feb 14th

French experts of INRA and CIRAD (French agricultural research institutes) take the challenge to feed the world in a sustainable, healthy way. They created a platform called “Agrimonde”, which aims to explore future scenarios for worldwide agricultural and food system. To see more information : http://www.frenchfoodintheus.org...

Food Defense Plan - Feb 14th

To ensure that our food is protected from criminal intent, France has developed a strategy. From a written guide to an emergency response, everything is planned. To see more information : http://www.frenchfoodintheus.org...

Increased intakes of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce a specific marker of inflammation and confer heart and anti-cancer benefits, according to two new studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. To see more information : http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com...

The white paper of biofuel - Feb 28th

Pathways of biofuels, biodiesel and bioethanol represent a major advantage for a country like France, with limited sources of fossil fuels and global warming concern. To see more information : http://www.scribd.com... (French article)

Get in touch with science

Many organizations give you the opportunity to learn and improve your mind about agriculture and food science. Please find below some of website about these :

Website to see

• For the United States information

Federal agencies

http://www.ch.doe.gov/ : The department of Energy provides a lot of information about energy, regulations, programs, … in the United States.

http://www.international.inra.fr/ : The French National Institute for Agricultural Research has a mission-oriented research institute that addresses core development issues, from the local to the international level.

http://agriculture.gouv.fr/ : Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fishing, Rural Affairs and the Planning poses news and information about these fields.

http://www.frenchfoodintheus.org/ : This site deals with food policy (obesity, eating habits, ...), addresses our efforts in research in this area, and provides summary sheets including French agriculture and food industries.